Kane County may seek more ways to recoup medical costs of jail inmates

What would amount to a $10 medical co-pay for Kane County jail inmates may not go far enough in paring down the county's costs for the services it provides at the jail, at least in the eyes of some elected officials.

The county board's Executive Committee approved a plan to charge $10 to a jail inmate convicted of a crime, on top of any fines or fees imposed by the court. The new fee would help pay for the medical care of inmates, which costs the county about $2 million a year.

Early projections show the fee would help raise about $85,000. The fee is the brainchild of Sheriff Pat Perez and Commander Pat Keaty who runs the jail. The new money would help the sheriff avoid another year of not making his budget.

But $85,000 simply may not be enough.

County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay said she'd like to see an idea with a more predictable stream of revenue.

"The question for me is are (the inmates) capable of paying their own medical expanses," McConnaughay said. "If so, why shouldn't they? I think you need to take a comprehensive approach."

County Board Member Mike Kenyon agreed that a more thorough investigation of medical fee charges is warranted. But Kenyon said that shouldn't prevent the county board from approving this early version to recoup some costs.

"This is not the answer, but it will keep us going to a better answer to recovering some of these expenses," Kenyon said.

McConnaughay and the rest of the Executive Committee agreed and passed the matter along to the full county board for a final vote.

"You're always trying to find ways to either increase your revenue or decrease your costs," McConnaughay said. "I like this because you're decreasing your costs."